Hi...I've been thinking about ovulation tests & just wondered what it involves. Is it a blood test? My girl will be on Day 8 of her season tomorrow. This (hopefully) will be her 1st litter, and we're going to a dog who has already sired 2 litters. We've tried with her before, but waited till day 12 & 14. I'm now wondering if perhaps I left it too late last time. Her discharge already looks lighter in colour & there doesn't seem to be much of it. Her vulva is very swelled, I was so preoccupied wondering if my other girl was in whelp, that I may have missed the start of her season, but only by a couple of days. As we all know, a couple of days could make all the difference. Any advice appreciated. :)

> Her discharge already looks lighter in colour

This is honestly no indication at all.  A lot of folk will tell you that the discharge colour is very different in all bitches.  I have girls that bleed heavily throughout mating, and still get pregnant.  I've got girls that will be ready on day 8 and others keep me waiting until day 17.  No bitch is text book.  Most haven't even read the book!  :-)

No way of telling if your girl has gone over.  But if using an experienced stud, he should know.  When girls come for my boy, I find the vulva gets smaller before they are ready, but I don't think that you can have a hard and fast rule.
Wouldn't be any fun if they didn't keep us guessing! 

If you're going to test, you would be wise to do it pronto.

Thanks Jean :) Will phone 1st thing in the morning.

One of my bitches ovulates at around day 19, and her sister, didn't ovulate at all on her last season so I'd try and sort it quick too :) Hopefully you will catch her in time :)

Just had one of my bitches blood tested and she ovulated on day 18, I took her to the stud day 19 and 21 with two very good matings so now I am just waiting to see, she is 25 days from first mating.

If you get the bloods done today you may still have time.

Good luck

Just a general question, primarily for those who routinely have ovulation blood tests done.

Have you found that your bitches mostly ovulate within a day or two the same time on successive seasons, or does it vary widely.

the reason I ask is that I am planning to take my young bitch to the USA for mating when she comes in season at the end of the year.  I will obviously need to book the flights the moment she comes in season, but need to make a guess as to when to go and return.

With her Mum I flew on day 12, and booked return for day 19, bitch was eager from day 13 dog mated her day 15 - 17, so ti worked out fine.  Now her daughter (not the one am planning on taking), had a litter from matings on day 18 - 20, and this time was mated days 20 - 22, so had it been her I would have been wrong with my estimate.

The bitch in question seems not to have long seasons, and by her behaviour and outward signs would appear to be more like her Dam, as to likely standign time.

Would it be worth me testing her upcoming season (due End of April/early May), for an indication of when she ovulates.

I don't think she will be very good at having blood taken (she was a nightmare for the drops for eye testing), will see how the blood titre goes on the 21st April! ;)

This is the first time Ive used blood testing but one of my bitches will only stand for one day, she was mated day 12 with her first litter producing 8 pups and then day 20 (I thought Id missed her) with second litter producing 9 pups. I cant be certain when she ovulated as I didnt do bloods but I would say it would be worth doing so you have an idea.

I have to say it is her daughter who I have just had mated and she ovulated day 18 so just like her mum with her second litter. Maybe the first stud was extra fertile LOL!!!!

One of our females ovulates on different days, on different seasons, thats going to be stressful Jean goint to the USA, at least when we go to Germany we drive, so when the test says she is ready we set off.

Hi

the bitches I have tested have always ovulated at much the same time on each season - obviously may be different for some but for mine they remain in a similar pattern give or take a day. In your position I think I would test this next season as a bench mark

K

When I had my bitch tested last year for an Ai mating, the Vet who did it said to me is quite common for maiden bitches to ovulate late in the season. 

But having said that, its best to get the bloods done earlier rather than later just incase.  I think we started on day 10 last time, every 2 days. 

We have them blood tested to see what day they will be ready on. We had have two litter from the same bitch (2 years in between litters) and she has been ready on different days. The first litter we did two matings and she had 9 pups, the second time we just had her mated the once and she had 10 puppies. I would recommend blood testing, then you have a good chance of getting exactly the right day. Especially if you are using an inexperienced dog or a maiden bitch.

The thing is we need to book the flight and return before we know when she will be ready, so I was asking so I blood test on this comign season as a bench mark, ro will that be pointless as they vary too much from season to season.

Airlines normally want booking at least a week and more like 10 days before departure, so it really emans booking on the day the season starts and picking  days before she is ready adn return after she has gone over.

With her Mum my guess at arriving on day 12 and leaving for home on day 19 was jsut right with matings day 15 - 17, but with the half sister standing as late as day 22!!!  That would be comign home too soon.

Barbara

Given your circumstances I would give the bloods tests a trial run this time.  Although there is no guarantee that any two seasons will be the same, at least it will give you some idea, just in case she does ovulate early.  I have been using blood tests for some while now and there has been no great difference in my girls with a second litter.  I think many people are now experiencing later ovulation than early so the traditional mating days of 12 and 14 are becoming less common.

Had you considered AI to save your journey and also get the day spot on?  I'm certain you will have done, so interested to know your reasons for travel rather than AI.

Just to further muddy your water, with the last 2 bitches we blood tested (which we normally start at day 10 with these ovulating around day 12 - 13) both times day 10 fell on a Sunday so instead of waiting we did first test on the friday (day 8) and both were ovulating that day (this was several months apart), but I think they were just being awkward!

> Just to further muddy your water, with the last 2 bitches we blood tested (which we normally start at day 10 with these ovulating around day 12 - 13) both times day 10 fell on a Sunday so instead of waiting we did first test on the friday (day 8) and both were ovulating that day (this was several months apart), but I think they were just being awkward! <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif" width=20 height=10>

Yes we have had this too, i was going to say also Barbara have you considered AI, hope you get your timings spot on, it is stressful when you have to travel such a distance, hope you get a litter.x

We have had very little luck in our breed with AI, I certainly wouldn't' want to go with frozen, which means getting the stud pet pas sported,a range the shipping, proper persons to collect, store and inseminate, all works out just as expensive as flying over with less chances of a litter.

Also the studs owner has two litter brothers, and I have the choice of which I prefer when I can see and go over them in person, though I am pretty sure which so of the two I prefer for my girl.

There are ovulation test strips for sale not very expensive,but are they any good?I would like to know if any one uses them.My stud dog knows when to mate my bitches,but sometimes visiting bitches arrive too early and could be saved a wasted journey.One owner took her bitch to the vet for a quick test, he used a test kit of some kind,only charged her £14,told her the bitch had ovulated and to mate her next day,but the bitch would not stand,and the dog decided to mate her four and five days later.Next time she took a bitch to the vet he charged £25 to test her,but this was not a blood test either,and no litter resulted from that mating.Another vet told a friend of mine it would cost £50,and involved a blood test.which might need doing again in two days time but as the bitch was standing and obviously ready I advised her to save her money but I want to know what other people think about all this.

I have never tried them, but a friend did, he said they were a waste of time? we always blood test,

If there was any scientific basis in their supposed effectiveness you would think that we wouldn't be having to put our bitches through blood taking.

> If there was any scientific basis in their supposed effectiveness you would think that we wouldn't be having to put our bitches through blood taking.

I know they hate it dont they? im relieved if they only need 1 blood test.

Just to add a little to the thread. I have a friend with the same breed as me and she has missed 4 seasons after having a first litter no problems, mated days 9, 11 and carried pups ok. Next time mated on days 12,14 as would not stand before...no pups, again mated (willingly) next season days 9,11 no pups. Next time left with stud dog owner, mated days 9,10,11,12, no pups but had been running with the dog (Supervised) and mated willingly. Next time mated by original dog again (The father of the pups) on days 12,14. No pups! This time she has been blood testing from day 6 and is now on day 22 and still bleeding but today the test is showing a slight rise and they are hopefull that Sat will be the day!! She is desperate for a pup from this bitch and would not have tried so hard otherwise.  Just goes to show that even if the bitch is happy to mate it is not always the right day. If I remember I will update this to let you know how things go. Sorry not much help to you Barbara but a little more confusing information for you!!
Aileen

I think the problem can be that bitches that have had a litter and hence been mated before can be proper little strumpets, so their willingness cannot be relied upon as a good predictor of their readiness, as in fertile period.

> There are ovulation test strips for sale not very expensive,but are they any good?

In a word - NO!
Total waste of money for me personally.  And you do need to be very careful not to scratch the vulva when using them.  Very sharp edges!  As well as being useless.

I experimented with them last year, and may as well have saved my money.  Yes, they are inexpensive, but as they don't work, would tell you not to waste your hard earned cash.

Just had a phone call....after 2 tests, we have lift off! She's ready today, so I'm keeping everything crossed for a good mating this afternoon & possibly again on Sunday :) Now I just have to make her read the Book of the Bitch! (she's a maiden, going to an experienced stud)

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

Good luck at the weekend ;)

2 Slip Matings today. My poor back is aching from bending & holding lol. My girl is standing & tailing, but the dog started 'the business' then just lowered himself off her. Going back on Sunday. She's on day 12 at the moment, so still time. :)

> She's on day 12 at the moment, so still time. :-) <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif">

Definitely!  And we've all got our fingers crossed for you.  :-)

I wanted to ask on what do you base your ready today after an ovulation test.

Is that she is ovulating today, or ovulated already  and optimum day is today being two days after ovulation etc.

I know if I was told mate today because the bitch is ovulating, in my experience either the bitch might not stand, or many of the studs in my breed would not mate, preferring their bitches IE (two to 4 days after ovulation).

What I am saying is that I would want them to tell me what stage we are at, so I can make up my mind when to try for mating.

When I blood tested my bitch, the lab told me the exact day she ovulated so it gave me the option to decide how many days post ov to take her.  Good luck everyone!

Hi everyone. Firstly, apologies for late reply. Tried to log in a few times, but I got booted off or computer restarted itself. Brainlesss, to answer your question....we got the phone call to say that her ? levels were high (My Husband took the call & can't remember the word) The vetinary nurse asked if we had far to travel to the stud dog & then advised that we get her there sooner, rather than later. Cutting a very long story short, we had 2 slip matings on Friday, went back on Sunday, another 2, but the stud seemed very half hearted & we came away feeling a bit deflated. The stud owner was very nice & mentioned that she may not be ready, which peeved me a bit after the vets gave us the go ahead. We were offered a return visit, but another 400 mile round trip would just about see me off! To cap it all.....we were having dinner last night & heard a dog howling. Didn't think much of it, till the early hours & it was still going on. My neighbour has just been round to say that her dog is going mental, trying to get to our fence & he's howling & off his food. :( I really don't know what do do. Do I take up the offer of another service? I don't drive, so it means more time off work for my Husband & I'd have to stay here to look after my other 2 girls as my son is working flat out till Saturday. My poor nerves are frazzled from lack of sleep. We have been planning this litter for ages & I don't want to give up, so I think I've answered my own question....I think I'll give it one more try. I really should phone the vets, but I'm slowly losing confidence in them :(

Perhaps the vet/nurse was not experienced in interpreting the results, our bloods get sent out to a lab (NWL) and they send back a printed report with the progesterone level and based on that the predicted ovulation day and then the best breeding day, your vet nurse may have spotted that your girl was ovulating, but as Brainless says it is then at least 2 days till best breeding day.  I feel for you going to the trouble of blood testing and still possibly needing to do a third 400 mile trip, it might be worth it for a good mating though.